


i'd still choose you

by kagstsukki (SkylarkOfTheMoon)



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Hero AU, Kageyama as Genos, Kindaichi as Saitama, M/M, One Punch Man AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2019-05-18 04:57:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14846207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkylarkOfTheMoon/pseuds/kagstsukki
Summary: It's Kunimi who breaks the news to him. He always breaks the news whenever anything goes down seeing how deep and intricate his information network is. Still, Kindaichi didn't expect him to actually come in person at his apartment.Kunimi looks at the small space. One of the futons has been rolled up in the corner, gathering dust. Kindaichi made too much food. It could have been for him but Kunimi didn't tell him about his arrival until five minutes ago."Waiting for someone?" he asks, despite already knowing the answer.





	i'd still choose you

**Author's Note:**

> So for those of you who haven't watched One Punch Man here is a some context. Genos' and Saitama's voice actors are also Kageyama's and Kindaichi's respectively. I just wanted to write a fic with that parallel :) Basically Kageyama and Kindaichi live together. Kindaichi can defeat anyone with one punch and Kageyama is a cyborg trying to hunt down an evil robot that killed his family. Hinata is his "creator" and fixes up Kageyama when he gets broken. Kunimi is an informant of sorts. Oikawa and Iwaizumi are only mentioned but they're part of the Hero Association. 
> 
> [ here's some fanart ](https://dad-ichi.deviantart.com/art/Haikyuu-x-One-Punch-Man-FanArt-675673147)

 It's Kunimi who breaks the news to him. He always breaks the news whenever anything goes down seeing how deep and intricate his information network is. Still, Kindaichi didn't expect him to actually come in person at his apartment. 

 

Kunimi looks at the small space. One of the futons has been rolled up in the corner, gathering dust. Kindaichi made too much food. It could have been for him but Kunimi didn't tell him about his arrival until five minutes ago. 

 

"Waiting for someone?" he asks, despite already knowing the answer. 

 

Kindaichi doesn't find it in himself to lie and tell him everything was fine so he just starts pouring out the food--it's pork curry with boiled eggs. He could pretend everything was alright, that Kunimi is here to visit his friend instead of delivering a piece of news he didn't want to hear. 

 

"Kageyama found the robot," Kunimi says bluntly. He doesn't treat his friends delicately; he knows they're stronger than that.

 

"Good for him."

 

"It's been a week."

 

"He's strategizing. He's good at that." Kindaichi picks at his food, not really eating. 

 

"He's a genius. His plans can take down enemies in  _seconds_."

 

"I know." Kindaichi has been part of his plans for as long as their partnership started. 

 

"So why isn't he home yet?"

 

"He doesn't have to." Kindaichi's grip is tight around his glass. Kunimi fears it would crush into tiny, grain-sized pieces. The thing about Kindaichi's strength is that he doesn't really use them unless he has to, or if there was a powerful enough catalyst to push him. That's what Kageyama was— _is_ for. 

 

"This isn't his home. Not anymore. His sole reason of existence is to crush that stupid robot. Now that it's done, he doesn't have to come here anymore." 

 

"How can you tell it's done? Like I said he hasn't been heard from in weeks."

 

"Maybe he already died. That's what he wanted didn't he? To kill that robot even if it killed him."

 

"Do you want that, Yuu?" Kunimi asks. "Do you hate him that much to see him dead?" 

 

_"No,"_ Kunimi didn't think it was linguistically possible for someone's voice to break with one word, yet here is Kindaichi proving him wrong.  _"God no."_

 

"Then what do  _you_  want? I thought you would have been with him all the way, heck, you could finish the battle for him with one punch." 

 

"Because Kageyama is a selfish prick who doesn't want to rely on me." The glass starts to crack, water bleeding through Kindaichi's clenched fingers. "He could have done so much. He could have asked me to come, left a message for me to follow; fucking contacted me for the past days instead of up and leaving like I was nothing, like I didn't spend the last three years of my life with him!" 

 

Kunimi carefully pries the glass away from him. Kindaichi blinks, loosens his fingers and lays his palm flat on the table. 

 

"You could have done so much too," he says patiently. "For starters, you could have chased after him, asked me to hack his signal so I could send you his location. You've never needed anyone's permission to do anything before, quitting your job, training to become a superhero. How is this any different?"

 

"Because it was just me then." The fight leaves Kindaichi. For the first time since getting here Kunimi sees how tired he is, the unhappiness settling in his eyes. "I never had to consider anyone else's feelings before. I have to consider what Kageyama wants too and if me leaving him alone is what he wants then fine, I'll do it. I'll do anything for him, you know?"

 

"I know," because Kunimi has suffered these two idiots dancing around each other for years. "You know what I think Kageyama wants?"

 

Kindaichi doesn't look up, staring morosely at his food. "What?"

 

"Kageyama would want you to be there. He wants his  _sensei_ to see that his teachings were not in vain even if most of it was bullshit." Kindaichi chuckles, kicking him in the leg. "He wants you to be proud of him."

 

"I am. Fuck, even after everything I'm proud of him." 

 

"Tell him that. He'd be over the moon about it. Knowing him, he could literally fly over the moon." There's a beep. Kunimi pulls put his phone and frowns. "If I were you, I'd tell him as soon as I can. Like, right now."

 

Kindaichi is already standing up and rummaging for his suit. "Details?"

 

"My network picked up something. Big battle in the outskirts of the city. The Hero Association hasn't heard about it at least."

 

"I don't see why you're not working for them." Kindaichi clips on his cape, runs a hand through spiky hair. "You always know stuff earlier than they do."

 

"Shut up and go save your boyfriend already. Also, I want salted caramel as my reward." 

 

Kindaichi is already out of the door. 

 

* * *

 

It's all over. 

 

Kageyama stares at the scrap of metal in front of him. His sensors haven't picked up any other sign of movement from the robot. He supposes that ripping out the head from its body was enough. It's like with zombies and vampires, you're supposed to go for the head. 

 

The fight wasn't even that satisfying. After a week of observing the robot, analyzing every weakness he can find, making countermeasures against every strength, it was over in seconds. A hole through the stomach to rip out wires and motherboards as if he was just gutting him, grabbing him by the neck and pulling until head separated from body and oil oozed out like blood and wires split like veins and muscles, the dimming of bright red eyes like it was just being turned off. 

 

He expected more--gunfire, explosions, going down in a blaze of glory. He didn't expect it to be so  _easy._

 

"Mission accomplished," he says to himself because that's what it was from the start, wasn't it? A long time mission he dedicated the past years of his life to, the sole reason of his existence, why he was created in the first place. He'd have to tell that to Hinata later. He'd be happy now that he knows all those repairs and maintenance haven't gone to waste and then-

 

There's a fizzle, his screen blurs with static, and smoke starts seeping from his elbow joints. It's not even a major injury, just him succumbing to a week’s worth of exhaustion. Kageyama closes his eyes, letting himself rest for a while. He has to go to Hinata to get himself repaired.  _"Again"_ he can already hear him whine. For now he just wants to sleep and savor his success even if it's not that exciting. 

 

"Activate hibernation  mode," he says to himself. The lights all around his body dims, weapons packing themselves neatly inside his body. It's a risk to sleep in the middle of nowhere where an ambush is possible but when your goal in life is finally achieved you get the feeling that you can finally do whatever the fuck you want. 

 

Kageyama sees a blur of yellow and black before his screen shuts down. 

 

* * *

 

 

For all his excitable and distracted nature, Hinata is smart. When Kindaichi calls him up in a frenzy about the cyborg in his care, he calmly walks him through the process of fixing the minor injuries he sustained  in the fight. After which, he explains that hibernation mode allows Kageyama a short reprieve. 

 

"Will he wake up?"

 

"I can activate him again remotely from here. Although," Hinata twirls the pencil in his hands, frowning at the blueprints on his desk. "I'd rather he wake up on his own accord. The remote activation was only for emergencies in case he slept in a not ideal location."

 

"Hinata, he was in the middle of the forest lying next to a burning carcass of a robot."

 

" _Was_. Where is he now?" 

 

".....in our apartment. On his futon."

 

"Sounds ideal to me!" Hinata spins in his chair and rolls up the blueprints. He'll figure it out as he goes along. "He'll wake up soon. You just have to wait and make sure not to touch him until then. Bye Kindaichi!"

 

He hangs up. Kindaichi listens to the dial tone for a few seconds before putting his phone down and looking at Kageyama. His body lies perfectly still on the futon, his chest doesn't even rise to show he was breathing. It's almost as if he was already dead. 

 

"You didn't have to go after him on your own, you know?" Kindaichi says softly to the sleeping form. "I was pissed when you left but more than that I was worried. Just one word would have been enough, one message to tell me you were okay and I would have believed you." Something dawns on him. "Is that why you never left any message? Because you couldn't promise that you'll be okay?" 

 

There's no answer. 

 

* * *

  

His days continue as normal. He lazes around until he gets the energy to do some missions to maintain his spot in Class B. When he gets home he tells Kageyama about his day. He tells him about his missions, about the heroes who's sending him well wishes, the latest gossip in the Hero Association and anything else he can think of. 

 

A week in and the metal covering Kageyama's arms heat up. After a panicked call to Hinata, Kindaichi turns the AC on high, electricity bills be damned, and piles up layers on himself. He huddles next to Kageyama that night, staring at the grooves of metal, listening to the soft hums of gears and pistons. There's no heartbeat to look out for, just the steady hum of machinery that tells him Kageyama is still running, still breathing, still  _alive._

 

* * *

 

 

_Bzzzzz….bzzzzt….. bzzzzt….. bzzzzt…. bzzzzt….._

 

“—you’ll be okay, got it? Don’t leave me now asshole.”

 

_Bzzzzz….bzzzzt….. bzzzzt….. bzzzzt….. bzzzzt….._

 

“—hold on. I’ll get us home.”

 

_Bzzzzz….bzzzzt…. bzzzzt….. bzzzzt…..._

 

“Hinata says that you’ll be fine. Please don’t prove him wrong.”

 

_Bzzzzz….bzzzzt…..bzzzzt….. bzzzzt….._

 

“I met up with Kunimi and Oikawa-san the other day. Oikawa was complaining that the Class A heroes meeting was boring without you. I think he’s just worried.”

 

_Bzzzzz….bzzzzt…..bzzz….._

 

“I’m going out to do some missions. I need to catch up to you somehow.”

 

_Bzzzzz….bzzzzt….._

 

“I was fine living on my own, you know? Then you came along, all broody but sweet and thoughtful. When you, left I thought I would be okay since I was perfectly fine living alone before. But I’m not. There are still some of your spare parts in the cupboards. Your futon is rolled up right where you left it. I almost poisoned myself because some of your oil got mixed with the condiments. I look at all these pieces and I think that this isn’t a room for one anymore. You belong here, Kageyama. With me.”

 

_bzzzzt….. bzzzzt….._

 

“God you’re so hot. I mean literally. Your metal is burning up.

 

_bzzzzt….._

 

“Please wake up soon, Tobio. Please.”

 

_bzzzzt….._

 

“I miss you.”

 

_Bzz—_

 

* * *

 

“Kageyama?”

 

The bedroom is empty when Kindaichi comes home that day. There is not sign that Kageyama has been resting in his bedroom for the past two weeks. The futons were neatly rolled up against the wall with the pillows stacked up next to it. There’s a note propped up on top of the pillows.

 

_Kindaichi_

 

_When Hinata first built me, I promised to defeat the robot that took so much from us. When all that is done, he is going to dismantle me. I’ve fulfilled that mission._

 

_Thank you for putting up with me these past years. I believe that you’ll be a great hero in your own right._

 

_Goodbye._

 

_Kageyama_

 

The ‘goodbye’ is written thicker than the rest of the letters like Kageyama was pressing down hard on the pen.

 

Numbness fills Kindaichi to his core, like somebody has taken all the breath out of him. The words ‘dismantle’ and the thick goodbye rings in his head.

 

There’s a storm brewing outside, heavy rains, dark clouds and streaks of lightning. That doesn’t stop Kindaichi from running.

 

* * *

 

Kageyama sits on a rolling table, looking defeated for someone who just achieved his long-time goal. Hinata is looking over every inch of him, replacing old parts and touching up the ones he wasn’t able to fix during hibernation mode. He seems pretty cheery like he usually is, like it’s perfectly normal for Kageyama to pop up in the lab in the middle of the night.

 

“Why are you fixing me up?”

 

“Because you’re broken? Duh?” Hinata is wiping down the metal on his shoulders, removing flecks of oil that’s dripped down from his neck joints. “I wouldn’t have to fix you so much if you just stopped being so reckless.”

 

“Does it matter? You’re dismantling me soon, right?”

 

Hinata looks up at him, a pensive look on his face. “Do you want me to?”

 

“We had a deal, when you first built me.”

 

“That’s not what I was asking.” Hinata tosses that oil-soaked rag in a bin. He turns back to Kageyama and squeezes the metal cap of his knees. “Kageyama, do you want me to dismantle you?”

 

The answer comes quick. “No.”

 

“Then, I won’t do it.” Hinata pats his knees before starting to put his tools away. “You can go home now or we can watch the re-run of the latest Interhigh match with me.”

 

“Wait.” Kageyama stands up, frowning. “That’s it?”

 

“That’s it.” Hinata leads him out of the lab and into the living space that’s connected to it. He sits down on the sofa and pats the space next to it. When Kageyama sits the down Hinata’s side of the sofa lifts up from his bulk. “I never planned on dismantling you. It was all your idea. You had it in your mind that your sole purpose for existing is to defeat that robot. That’s different now, right? You have something else worth existing for?”

 

Kageyama thinks of the Hero Association, of Kunimi and Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san who sees him as a friend outside of his hero persona. He thinks of Hinata who fixes him up and watches volleyball videos with him because it’s one of the very few things he remembers from his time as a human. He thinks of Kindaichi and that little apartment they share, of cleaning, reading manga, fighting together, and eating take out. He thinks of wide smiles and wild hair and gentle touches. He thinks of the infinite possibilities the future has and the person he wants to be with to see all of that.

 

“I need to go.” Kageyama says stiffly as he stands up and the sofa is back flat on the ground. Hinata waves him off.

 

“Say hi to Kindaichi for me,” is all he says before Kageyama runs out of the door. Hinata sighs at the scorch marks on the floor. He’ll clean that up later. For now, volleyball.

 

He barely makes it one set before the door slams open and in comes Kindaichi with wet hair plastered to his forehead and out of its usual spiked style.

 

“Where’s Kageyama?” he demands, walking up to Hinata and blocking the TV.

 

Hinata whines. “Kindaichi~ They’re at match point!”

 

He doesn’t seem to hear him, heading straight for the lab and calling Kageyama’s name.

 

“He’s not there. He already left.”

 

Kindaichi turns around, eyes wide. “You didn’t dismantle him.”

 

“Of course not. He is one of the best things that ever happened to me. Besides, he likes you too much to even consider that option.”

 

“He what?!” All at once, everything comes crashing down on him, from the moment they met up until Kindaichi saw the note.

 

“He.likes.you. And I swear to god if you don’t go out here and find him right now I’m calling Iwaizumi and having you removed from B-rank.”

 

“You can’t actually do that,” Kindaichi calls out as he walks back out the door.

 

* * *

 

Kageyama adjusts his vision to the rain. He wants to get home as soon as possible but he doesn’t actually know what to do when he gets there. He’s a doer, not a thinker. Although the two weeks in hibernation mode gave him a lot to think about—what sort of life he’d live now that his mission is complete, if he’s still welcome back to the apartment after running away twice, what the future means for him and Kindaichi. It’s the last one that really had him stumped. He never gave much thought about his future, least of all who he’d spend it with. It’s always been the next day, the next mission, the next lead or the next fight with him. Beyond what it means to be a hero, what does it mean to have a life?

 

“KA—GE—YA—MA!!!”

 

Kageyama brakes to a stop, feet digging through the mud. He looks around in the rain, trying to discern where that voice came from.

 

There’s someone heading for him. He tenses, arms raised to fight. The next thing he knows he’s being tackled.

 

They roll around in the mud. Kageyama has a hand on his attacker’s waist, his other one raised and ready to fire off a blast.

 

The weight on his chest is lifted. It takes Kageyama a few seconds to recognize him with his hair down.

 

“Kindaichi?”

 

Kindaichi is frowning at him, but his lips are shaking and there are tears leaking out his eyes.

 

“This is so stupid,” he mumbles. “It used to be you chasing me back then, but now I’m chasing you.”

 

Kageyama could only gawk at the man on top of him. The sky rumbles, the rains grow heavier, soaking both of them.

 

“Here.” He raises his arm above them and activates his shield plates as makeshift shelter. He huddles together with Kindaichi, raising his own body temperature to keep both of them warm. “Better?”

 

“Yeah.” Kindaichi doesn’t look like he’s crying anymore at least. “I’m still mad at you.”

 

“Sorry,” he says more out of reflex than actually knowing why Kindaichi is mad at him. He moves the plate a little so it covers Kindaichi more.

 

“You left me in the dark for _weeks_ and just when I found you, you left again. Do you…do you not want to see me anymore, Kageyama?”

 

“No.” Kageyama looks off to the side, staring at the puddles forming around them. He should’ve done something for the mud. Kindaichi won’t be comfortable sitting down on it. “I thought that I wasn’t welcome anymore, that you’re upset at me.”

 

“I’m not upset.” Kindaichi places a hand on his shoulder plate. Kageyama feels oddly warm at the touch. “I’m disappointed that you didn’t trust me enough to tell me where you were going, or to help out for that matter.”

 

“It was always going to be my battle to fight, not yours. I didn’t want to involve you in my problems.” Kageyama reaches up for the hand on his shoulder and squeezes. “I don’t think I can live with myself if anything happened to you.”

 

Kindaichi’s heart throbs at the confession. Logically speaking, he has yet to find someone or something powerful enough to actually hurt him. Despite that, Kageyama is still looking out for him.

 

“Me too,” Kindaichi says. “I don’t want anything to happen to you too.”

 

Kageyama’s head snaps to look at him, blue-black eyes boring into his soul, face wrought in confusion. Sometimes Kindaichi wonders how a cyborg expresses so much emotion on his face.

 

“But why?”

 

“Because I care about you, idiot.” Kindaichi flicks his forehead the same way he did after the first time they fought each other years ago. “I just want you to be safe and happy and if that means leaving me—“

 

“I don’t—“ Kageyama interrupts him. He’s clutching Kindaichi’s hand tightly. “I don’t want to leave you. I’m the happiest when I’m by your side.”

 

“That’s…” Kindaichi feels like somebody gave him air to breathe again and he lets out an airy, little laugh. “That’s good to know.”

 

He wraps up Kageyama in his arms into an embrace. Kageyama jolts at the contact before slowly relaxing.

 

“God, I was so worried,” Kindaichi says, voice muffled from where his mouth was pressed against Kageyama’s neck. Kageyama is ready to apologize again when Kindaichi pulls back and smiles at him. “It’s okay. You’re here now.”

 

Kageyama presses their foreheads together and whispers,” I’m here.”

 

Kindaichi grins widely, eyes blazing with competitiveness. “Race you home?”

 

Kageyama returns the grin just as fiercely and the two of them bolts, running under the pouring rain.

 

Kindaichi wins as predicted. Kageyama doesn’t like losing, but it’s worth it to see Kindaichi waiting for him outside his— _their_ apartment. When he holds out his hand for Kageyama to take it really feels like coming home.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it~
> 
> [ anime tumblr ](kagstsukki.tumblr.com)


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